The Beating Heart
by Drocodile
Summary: My name is Drocell Keinz. You probably heard my story about kidnapping young girls and turning them into dolls. About serving angelic woman called Angela. This is not story about London Bridge, silver and gold. This is the other part of story... The story where I got beating heart and was not puppet anymore
1. Chapter 1 - Introduction

_This is me..._

I am looking into the mirror and I cannot see the person I used to be.

What changed? Is it my hair? Is it that they grew longer? My eyes, shining brighter than ever? My lips which used to smile a lot?

 _I have no idea..._

My name is Drocell Keinz and I don't know who I am anymore.

There are these moments when I think I see something... Glimpse of shadows. Old memories hidden somewhere deep within me. But there is one thing... One question bothering me for a long time...

 _How can I know that they are real?_

I remember the beating sound. It is gone now... I feel nothing. There is emptiness in my chest. I don't know how I know this. All I can think about is my Master. She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen (not including my sister). I have this feeling that I have to obey her.

She is the **ONE**. She saved me... I'll tell you all about that later.

Those memories... The day I died... I don't remember much of my old self. Or I know... and I don't want to remember.

It was rainy day... just as many others here in London... I used to be butler in my father's house... You should know that I despise nobility. I am trash according to my father. My mother was a whore and I should never have seen the light of this world. But I have and I am really glad for it. My mother died when my sister was born. We had nobody and the only thing I know is that our father loved our mother very much and he was willing to take us to his home. His home...

This fancy place called Mandalay manor. Earl Mandalay... He gave us some education but it was only my sister he wanted. He already had his wife but she couldn't have children so he agreed to adopt my little sister and make her heiress to Mandalay household. I was never jealous of my sister. Deirdre never knew how it was hard to survive in the Shadow world... I have seen the worst of London before she was born... and I wanted more than anything for her not to see it.

Deirdre became Mandalay and forbid our last name which mother gave us – Keinz. She told us we were kids of Christopher Keinz, the rich merchant from Germany, who stopped by every time he visited London. I believed I was Keinz my whole life... and then I was not. My mother was Taylor... and our true father was Mandalay. My life was based on lies... I also didn't know we had older brother. Mother never told me... I found out later when father told me.

It was one of the things that I could not forgive him. The oldest among us was forbidden just after he was born. Mother took him away and let him live on the streets. Are you asking why? Oh... what a reason... He was born without one hand... Just one hand... and she abandoned him... He grew up on streets... that's what he told me... My father knew where our brother was and he let me visit him eventhough he never did that on his own... I think he was just curious and wanted me to tell him all about his oldest son later... What a coward...

I recognized my brother immediately... It surprised me that he was actually working in a circus... Noah's Ark Circus. He looked exactly as my sister and me... Orange hair, purple eyes... and the missing hand. Well, he had one made from bone. I must say it was very nice looking hand.

I forgot to tell you. I worked as my father's butler and puppeteer. He admired my sense for art so he let me make dolls. All little girls wanted my dolls. And I was proud. Once in my life. I admired the beauty in those little fragile things. Something so beautiful, but so cold and empty. Dolls without souls for artificial noble girls. Such a waste. But back to my brother.

I did not tell him who I was so I attended the show. I loved every aspect of that. Especially makeup. My brother was very talented. He did not say what his real name was but his stage name was Joker so I started calling him that. I waited after everyone left and waited outside of the tent... to finally talk to my rightful brother...


	2. Chapter 2 - Scaly Boy

p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="color: #555555;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"I was not expecting to bump into one of his comrades first. Sometimes I got really clumsy. I was so nervous and excited in the same time to meet my brother that I didn't see the man in front of me. I was ready to introduce myself but that had to wait. The man I bumped into was more surprised than I was. I assumed they didn't have much of visitors after the show was off here. I fell down and looked up, slightly disappointed./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"What the….!" I wanted to cuss. I really did./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="color: #555555;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"I was stopped by him. Oh god. What a look. He was smiling at me shyly, stepping back and kneeling down, handing me his hand. I would say he was scared of me but at that moment I knew he wanted to help me. He was that kind of person. Incredibly shy around people but gentle and nice. Those were things I liked about him. But let's save this for later. This was the first time I met Snake./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Are you okay? Says Wordsworth." I was charmed. He was the snake boy I've seen before during the show. He was interesting. Most people would say he was ugly. Ugly meant different in the world I knew. I had to disagree though. I knew beauty very well. It was the thing I loved most in my life. Beauty was something. I looked him up and down. He was lean and well-built. I wondered what I'd found under his striped shirt and pants. His pale scaly skin. Was it smooth and soft under the touch just like snake skin was? I wanted to know. I had to know. His messy white hair, one strand falling into his eyes. I swallowed hardly and took his hand. I got up, putting the strand of hair behind his ear. I coughed and let go of him. Stepped back./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Yes, I am. Thank you, Sir. I didn't see you. I am sorry. It was my fault. I was waiting for someone… else." The thing was I wanted to see my brother. Badly. But meeting Snake instead? It was really good bargain. I looked into his golden eyes. I was lost. Delicately lost. I would drown. I had to look away and I smirked. I hoped I'd have some time after talking to my brother. I definitely wanted to spend more time with this scaly boy./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Who are you looking for, Ginger? Says Emily." He purred. I started to notice it was probably his snakes who talked. Sure. He had them all over his body. It was so easy not to notice when all I had in front of me was him with his… Enough. Not now./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"He looks suspicious. I don't like him. Says Goethe." I raised my eyebrow. Those snakes were annyoing. I coughed. Gave them my best smile. I only wanted to see my brother, dammit!/span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"My name is Drocell Keinz, Sir. I am the butler in the Mandalay household." I bet he knew who I was talking about. From what I knew people in circus were kind of poor. Name of Mandalays was nothing for them. Just like for me. I had to follow the rules though. Manners. I was here because of my father./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"I was informed there might be person here who could possibly be part of my family. My brother works here and I'd like to meet him." I smiled politely and crossed arms on my chest. I wondered if he already knew who I meant. I was almost sure he did. I mean… We did look alike, me and Joker./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Oh…" He stopped talking for a while, frowning. He watched me closely, things running through his head. „You mean… Mr. Joker? Says Wordswoth." I nodded impatiently. You are really stunning, Mr. Snake, but could you be faster, please? I didn't have much time to spend here./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Follow me, Ginger, says Emily." He purred again and turned around, walking back into the tent. I heard laughing. I frowned and shrugged. Whoever was there, was having fun apparently. I sneaked inside, following Snake. He was leading me to the backstage. I said nothing and followed. Just like good servant I was./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="color: #555555;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Then I saw my brother again, laughing and bumping his shoulder into the girl standing next to him. He wrapped an arm with his bone hand around her and squeezed. He laughed again, grinning at her. She looked down and smiled, blushing faintly. From that look I knew everything. That beautiful girl with black curly hair, impressive breasts and body, she adored him. He on the other hand… was probably just messing with her, being her friend. The way she looked at him again… Poor girl./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Ye were outstanding tonight, Beast. You and Betty, ye could win them all over, ye know…" Joker ran fingers through her thick hair and kissed her cheek. She blushed again and looked at me and Snake, probably hearing his footsteps. Joker went silent and looked expectantly at me and Snake./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"What ye need, o' Snake? Who is this young lad here?" His accent. There was something about his accent. I bet he was not excited about being interrupted. I was sure he was tired after all the performances. I would surely be. Snake opened his mouth and then closed it. He frowned./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Ginger said his name was Drocell something and he was here to see his brother or something like that. He surely looks tastey, Boss. You should check him out, if ya know what I mean, says Emily." Snake blushed and stepped back, slightly ashamed of what one of his snakes said. I must have caught Emily's eye if it was possible for snakes. I was not sure./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Brother, ye say? Is that true, Sir?" Joker looked at me and grinned. That man was surely full of excitement. Such an optimist, I'd say./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Yes, Sir. My father… I mean… Lord Mandalay sent me here to investigate my family matters. My name is Drocell Keinz, not Drocell something…" I said, totally not amused. „I serve as butler in Mandalay family," Here we go with that name again, „and I recently found out my older brother works here. I… I think it's you, Sir. With all my respect… look at us closely. We look alike. If you want me, I have more evidence with me." I blurted it out. I looked at him. I knew there was a lot to process but I stayed positive. He was my brother, wasn't he? It should mean something!/span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="color: #555555;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"Joker just stared at me and started laughing. „My brother? Oh, ye're so funny, lad…" He stopped suddenly, realizing from the look at me that I might actually be right. „Ye're not joking, aren't ye?" I shook my head. No, I was 100 % sure. /span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"That's a surprise, Sir. I mean, can I call you Mr. Drocell? Um… follow me, please. This is not the discussion I'd like to have in front of my comrades. We'll catch up later at the dinner, okay, dear?" He let go of the girl and hushed her away. Same with Snake. Then my brother looked at me closely, grinned and threw himself around me. „I have a little brother!" He was ecstatic. He dragged me right into his private tent and pushed me on the couch. God, I loved him already. He was so positive!/span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="color: #555555;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"He sat next to me, poured golden liquoir into two glasses and handed me one. He smirked./span/span/span/p  
p style="text-indent: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in; line-height: .25in;"span style="color: #555555;"„span style="font-size: 12pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt;"So… will ye tell met the story about ye, little brother? How is this even possible?" He was curious about the story. So was I. I coughed a little and then started to tell him about our family./span/span/span/p 


End file.
